Marks of the Believer

Q: What does the Bible say about joy in the Lord?

The Bible encourages believers to rejoice in the Lord, emphasizing that they have much reason for joy, primarily in salvation through Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:1, Paul instructs believers to rejoice in the Lord, highlighting that joy is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life. The joy experienced by believers is deeply connected to the incarnation, salvation, and power of Jesus Christ. We have reason to celebrate His arrival into the world, His miraculous works, and the promise of His presence with the Father. This joy is not based on external circumstances but rather on the unchanging nature of our Savior and the hope of eternal life. True joy comes from recognizing our identity in Christ and the work He accomplished for us.

Q: How do we know that salvation is through grace alone?

Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ, as shown in Ephesians 2:8-9, emphasizing that it is not by works but a gift from God. Scripture consistently teaches that salvation is by grace alone, not through any works we can perform. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.' This underscores the sovereign grace of God in choosing to save sinners. Believers are called to rejoice in the gospel, which centers on Christ's finished work, affirming that our acceptance before God is solely based on His grace and not on any human merit. This truth liberates the believer from the burden of trying to earn salvation and fosters a deep appreciation for God's mercy.

Q: Why is worshiping God in spirit important for Christians?

Worshiping God in spirit is vital as it reflects a genuine connection with Him, going beyond outward rituals to a heartfelt reverence. In Philippians 3:3, Paul describes true believers as those who worship God in spirit. This means that their worship arises from a heartfelt devotion rather than mere ritualistic practices. Jesus emphasized this in John 4:24, where He stated that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Such worship signifies an internal transformation and a profound relationship with God that cannot be fabricated. It is not limited to physical expressions but is rooted in a sincere love for God and a recognition of His holiness and grace. This type of worship is essential for Christians as it nurtures spiritual growth and cultivates a genuine community of believers.

Q: How do we rejoice in Christ Jesus?

Rejoicing in Christ Jesus means placing our confidence and hope in His finished work, finding our joy solely in Him. Rejoicing in Christ Jesus, as stated in Philippians 3:3, is a hallmark of true believers. This involves recognizing that Jesus is our foundation, refuge, and source of joy. Unlike superficial happiness tied to circumstances, rejoicing in Christ stems from understanding who He is and what He has accomplished for us through His death and resurrection. This joy empowers believers to face life's challenges with hope, knowing that they are complete in Him. Philippians 4:4 exhorts us to rejoice always, indicating that such joy is a constant in the life of a believer. It anchors our hearts amidst trials and nourishes our faith, reminding us that our salvation and life are rooted in Christ alone.

Turn with me back to Philippians chapter three. Philippians three. Lord willing, we'll look at the first three verses of this chapter this evening. Verse one. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed, is not grievous, but for you it's safe. The first thing we read here is Paul says this, he says rejoice, rejoice in the Lord. It means to be glad, to be cheerful in the Lord. And you know, the believer has much, much to rejoice in concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. We rejoice in his incarnation. We read this, thou shalt have joy and gladness and many shall rejoice at his birth. And the believer knows why he came into the world. He came into the world to save sinners. Isn't that great reason? Great reason to rejoice? We rejoice in his power, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hold your place there, but turn with me to Luke. Chapter 13. Luke 13, beginning with verse 10. Our Lord was teaching.

He was teaching in one of those synagogues. on the Sabbath day, and we read that, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years, and she was bowed together and could no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and he said, woman, he spoke to her. And he said this, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. What a glorious sight that must have been.

I often think of those miracles our Lord performed, you know, for the person they were performed on, but also to those who've seen it. But the rulers of the synagogue, if you read on there, they answered with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day. And they said unto the people, they said, there's six days. Just think how foolish this is. They were so upset that the Lord had healed this woman. They said, there's six days in which men ought to work. and them therefore come and be healed."

But not on the Sabbath day. He's Lord of the Sabbath. And the Lord answered and He said, you're hypocrites. Don't each of you on the Sabbath day loose his ox or his ass? You let him out of the stall and you take him to get a drink of water? Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound lo these 18 years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

And when he said those things, all the adversaries, they were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced. They rejoiced for the glorious things that were done by him. His adversaries, no matter what day of the week it was, they opposed Him. Those against Him, they were shamed. But the people, His people, they rejoiced. Rejoiced in His power.

We rejoice in His presence with the Father. In John 14, 28, we read, you've heard how I said unto you, I go away. and come again to you. And if you love me, you would rejoice because I said, I go unto the Father." Those that love Him rejoice in the fact that He went to be with His Father. We rejoice in His presence.

The Lord, He appeared unto His disciples over at John chapter 20, and He showed them. He showed them His hands. where those nails had been driven through his hand. He showed them his side where that sword had pierced him. And it says this, then were his disciples glad. They rejoiced. Turn there with me. Turn to John chapter 20. John 20, verse 20. You have it?

And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. And then were his disciples glad. They were glad when they saw the Lord. Don't we rejoice? Don't we desire his presence and rejoice in his presence? We rejoice in his ultimate triumph. Our Lord said this. He said, Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it. And he was glad. We rejoice in the gospel. Nobody would come back and back and back again to hear something that they didn't enjoy, would they? That they rejoice in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Turn to Acts 13. Acts 13. Verse 44. The next Sabbath day came almost the whole city to hear the word of God. The whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy.

And they spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and they said, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you. But seeing you put it far from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For lo, the Lord commanded a saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, and thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

And when the Gentiles heard this, when they heard the message, they were glad. They were glad. They rejoiced, and they glorified the word of Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life, they believed. Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord. I need to move on in our text, but listen, believers rejoice in the gospel and they rejoice in salvation.

In the book of Acts, the Spirit of God, He sent Philip to preach to that eunuch. That eunuch, he heard the gospel. He heard the gospel. desire to confess the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember that? He looked at Philip. After Philip had preached the gospel to him, and he said, apparently they passed a body of water, they must have passed a lake, a pond, or something, and he said, here's water. What doth hinder me? What doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip said, if you believe. If you believe with all thine heart, thou mayest.

And he answered. That eunuch answered and he said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded that chariot to stand still. And they went, both of them, down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they come up out of that water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. But that eunuch, Scripture says, he went on his way. What was he doing?

Rejoicing. Rejoicing in the Lord. God's Word says that there is rejoicing in heaven. over one sinner that repenteth. Joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Finally, my brother, rejoice in the Lord. Not in a place, not in a thing, not in a feeling. Rejoice in a person. The believer rejoices in his Savior. The believer rejoices in the Lord.

Well, Paul goes on here in our text to write, he says this, he says, to write the same things to you, to me indeed, it's not grievous, but for you it's safe. The same thing, the same message. I often go back and look. I don't know why I shouldn't be, but I always worry about preaching from the same text. And you know, here's the thing. Regardless of the text, the message, it doesn't change. It's the same message.

Jeremiah wrote this. He said, Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths. Nothing new. We don't want anything new. Somebody comes in here talking about something new, they need to hit the door, don't they? The old, the old paths wherein is the good way. The good way. And walk therein and you shall find rest for your souls. The old paths.

We sing that song sometimes, tell me the old, old story. It doesn't change, does it? And it never, to the believer, it never grows old. You know, often we need, speaking for myself, I need to hear the same things over and over again. Partly by hearing things over and over, better understanding of what's being said. And true, too, that here are the same things over and over to have them fixed in our memory, to cause us to remember these things, that we might be established in the truth. All to write the same things to you, to me, indeed.

It's not grievous, but for you it's safe. Paul says, it's not grievous to me, it doesn't weary me to tell the old, old story, but for you it's safe, it's needful. Paul said this, I've not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock which God hath made you overseers. to feed the church, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Nothing new. Nothing new. The same old story. Well, look at verse 2 of our text. Again, Philippians 3.

He says, Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the concision. Now this is a warning about three different groups of people, but they're really all the same. The first one is dogs. Beware of dogs. Some of the old writers say this. They say it's a reference to those that would impose works. Works impose the law on you. Salvation by works. And listen, to that, beware.

But also, if you look at Isaiah 56.10, it's a reference here to dogs as well.

Isaiah 56.10.

He says, his watchmen are blind. They are all ignorant. They are all dumb dogs. They cannot bark. sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Now this can also be a reference to those who profess to preach the gospel. Spiritual wickedness in high places. They're described as ignorant. They don't know the scriptures, they don't know the gospel. He said they're like dumb dogs that can't bark.

Now, I know in our day, most of us would prefer to have a dog that just sat there and was a lap dog and didn't bark. But back in these times, that dog would be worthless. it would be useless. Imagine a dog whose job it was to keep the sheep, to watch over the sheep. If that dog wouldn't bark or make any noise at the sound of a thief or the approach of a wolf, a dog that wouldn't give notice to its family or to the shepherd, That dog would be of no service. That dog would be useless.

Beware of false preachers who have all the care in the world for themselves, but no care for the sheep. Those that call themselves or act like they're ministers of the word, beware of dogs. evil workers, those who walk in craftiness, those who handle the Word of God deceitfully, those that would subvert the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they say the right things, they do the right things.

Matthew 7, verse 22, Our Lord spoke. He said, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? In thy name, did we not cast out devils? In thy name, didn't we do many wonderful works? But he said, then will I profess unto them.

I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity." Beware. Beware. And then he says, beware of the concision. Now that word concision, it comes from the same word circumcision, the concision. That points to those Pharisees. Those Pharisees that would stand and pray within themselves. Remember that one? He said, God, I thank thee. I'm not as other men. I'm not an extortioner. I'm not unjust. I'm not an adulterer. I'm not even, and he looked over with contempt at that publican. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I possess.

They were described as those that would devour widows' houses. And for a show, they would stand and make long prayers. They did their works to be seen of men. Everything about them was to be seen of men, even their dress. They would wear those broad phylacteries, enlarge the borders of their garments. come in and find the best room in the house, and that's where they wanted to sit. The upper rooms of the house, the chief seats in the synagogues.

Beware. Beware. They'll make merchandise of you. They'll try to convince you this, that salvation is by the works of the law. Salvation by the deeds of the Lord. You know, these were the same men. This was the same group of people that called our Lord a sinner. Same group of people that called him a drunk. They said, he's a winebibber.

Paul told the Galatians, he said, if you be circumcised, if that's what you're resting in, Christ shall profit you nothing." If we add anything, listen, even, and so often it is performed in some kind of religious way, if we add anything to the person and work of Christ in an attempt to gain God's favor, whether it be circumcision, whether it be baptism, whether it be feasting or prayer or certain times or doing, listen, anything. If the intent of that is to add something to the work of Christ, then we're not resting in Him.

The Word. Here it is. Beware. Beware. Beware of those that would try to convince you of those things. And again, if that's what that man's doing, Christ will profit you nothing. Not if we're attempting to add righteousness to His. Well, quickly, verse 3. Verse 3 of Philippians 3.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. We are the true circumcision, he says here. They have the name, they have the form, they have the outward sign, but we have Christ. One of the old writers said this, he said, It's the difference between having one of those lambs in the Old Testament sacrifice and having the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God. Well, look with me at the rest of this verse. Here we see three marks. Three marks of the believer. Three true marks of the believer. You know, this world, this world is so easily deceived.

They see a man, maybe goes into a restaurant and he shoves everything off the table and he prays before he'll take even a bite to eat. People look and they say, boy, boy, isn't that a, Isn't that a religious man? Isn't that a good Christian man? Or a man who will refuse to take a sip of alcohol. Oh, isn't he a good Christian man? Or maybe a woman who dresses a certain way, a particular way. Good Christian woman. Couldn't we just make a list of the things that this world looks at and just gushes over?

What's the Word of God say? What are the true marks of a believer? Well, the first one, he says here, they worship God in spirit. We worship God from the heart, from the spirit. Not in those outward things, not in rituals, not in ceremonies. We worship God. They just worship Him. It's in their makeup, their inner being. They can't anymore live physically without breathing than they can live without worshiping the true and living God.

John 4.24 says this, God is spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Well, second, they rejoice in Christ Jesus. That's just one thing, isn't it? That's just one person. They rejoice in Christ Jesus and nothing else. not in works, not in the law, again not in ceremony, not in ritual. God's people, they rejoice in Christ and Christ alone.

He's my foundation. He's my refuge. He's my confidence. He's my hope. He's my life. It's Him alone. It's the Lord Jesus Christ plus nothing. It's the Lord Jesus Christ Minus nothing, it's Him and it's Him alone. Our acceptance, our salvation, it's in Christ alone. Not in anything connected with this flesh. We're complete in Him. Sinners saved by the grace of God.

And then third, He says, we have no confidence in the flesh. This flesh is weak. This flesh is decaying. This flesh is dying. Jeremiah 17, beginning with verse five, let me just read it to you. It says, thus saith the Lord, curse be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm. If in any way we're leaning on this arm of flesh, Scripture says his heart has departed from the Lord. If I can lean on this arm of flesh, I don't need anything else.

But I can't. I can't. That's hopeless. He shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, and a salt land not inhabited. But blessed, blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord." No confidence in this flesh.

I have a dear friend and brother in Christ. He lives out west, and every now and then we'll text, and I'll always say, how you doing? And without a doubt, this is nine times out of 10, this is his reply. He says, I am resting in the finished work of Christ. That's the right answer, isn't it?

Resting in the finished work of Christ. Confident. Confident in the mystery of godliness. That God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Confident that everything God has for a sinner, everything He has for a sinner is in His Son. It's in the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture says, all the fullness of God dwelleth in him. Confident of a good hope, a sure hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confident of this very thing, that he that hath begun a good work in you What's he going to do? He's going to finish it. It's not going to be left undone. He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. That's three marks. I'd like to be identified that way. We worship God in spirit. We rejoice. With every reason, we rejoice in Christ Jesus. And we have no confidence. That's none. No confidence in the flesh. It's all of him. Salvation's of the Lord. All right. Isaac.

Marks of the Believer

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about joy in the Lord?

How do we know that salvation is through grace alone?

Why is worshiping God in spirit important for Christians?

How do we rejoice in Christ Jesus?

Sermon Transcript

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Marks of the Believer

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about joy in the Lord?

How do we know that salvation is through grace alone?

Why is worshiping God in spirit important for Christians?

How do we rejoice in Christ Jesus?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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